[Nook Color General] a.fenderson:
microSD card (and reference device) benchmarks, round 1

Benchmarks were done with CrystalDiskMark 3.0.1, on an internal card reader connected to mobo usb pin headers: no other foreground programs were running during the benchmarks. I did 5 runs per test, with a 50MB file size--everything else was left at default.

32 GB Transcend Class 2

card history: filled card once, then deleted some files, no rewrites

card origin: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/738454-REG/Transcend_TS32GUSDHC2_32GB_microSDHC_Card.html

Sequential Read : 4.525 MB/s
Sequential Write : 3.705 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 4.529 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 1.561 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (QD=1) : 2.067 MB/s [ 504.7 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=1) : 1.046 MB/s [ 255.4 IOPS]
Random Read 4KB (QD=32) : 2.053 MB/s [ 501.3 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=32) : 1.032 MB/s [ 251.9 IOPS]

8 GB Kingston Class 4

card history: many write/erase/rewrite cycles

card origin: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...0134717&cm_re=SDC4/8GB-_-20-134-717-_-Product

Sequential Read : 4.418 MB/s
Sequential Write : 3.504 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 4.407 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 1.043 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (QD=1) : 1.528 MB/s [ 373.1 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=1) : 0.011 MB/s [ 2.7 IOPS]
Random Read 4KB (QD=32) : 1.652 MB/s [ 403.3 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=32) : 0.014 MB/s [ 3.3 IOPS]

16 GB Sandisk Class 4 #1 card (NOTE: seller listed as Class 2, sent Class 4)

card history: brand new, data never written

card origin: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001F6YRNO (NOTE: seller was eTECH)

Sequential Read : 4.183 MB/s
Sequential Write : 3.407 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 4.126 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 3.291 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (QD=1) : 0.958 MB/s [ 233.9 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=1) : 0.639 MB/s [ 155.9 IOPS]
Random Read 4KB (QD=32) : 1.191 MB/s [ 290.8 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=32) : 1.660 MB/s [ 405.2 IOPS]

16 GB Sandisk Class 4 #2 card (NOTE: seller listed as Class 2, sent Class 4)

card history: brand new, data never written

card origin: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001F6YRNO (NOTE: seller was eTECH)

Sequential Read : 4.176 MB/s
Sequential Write : 3.360 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 4.113 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 3.221 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (QD=1) : 1.014 MB/s [ 247.6 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=1) : 1.646 MB/s [ 401.9 IOPS]
Random Read 4KB (QD=32) : 0.927 MB/s [ 226.3 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=32) : 1.500 MB/s [ 366.2 IOPS]

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That's it for the actual microSD cards for now--I've got one each SanDisk 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB cards on the way, will post as quickly as possible.

Below are some random things I benchmarked, same pc, same settings, just for reference and comparison. I attempted to benchmark my Nook Color's eMMC and some of the above cards via usb storage connection through the Nook, but I think I'm having usb driver issues or something--the test would always fail half-way through, Windows would report a failed delayed write, and the devices wouldn't show their labels or be accessible through Windows Explorer (just generic removable disks but reporting missing disk)--on the nook itself, it was also showing USB storage mode disabled as though I had manually turned it back off in the middle of the tests. I thought at first this corresponded with my Nook's screen going off, but set it to stay on for 30 minutes and the problem still occured: any advice on this issue would be appreciated.

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PNY 256 MB pre-Class SD (not micro) card

card history: many write/erase/rewrite cycles

card origin: Staples, retail, in the day

Sequential Read : 4.642 MB/s
Sequential Write : 2.719 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 4.637 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 1.614 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (QD=1) : 2.508 MB/s [ 612.3 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=1) : 0.027 MB/s [ 6.7 IOPS]
Random Read 4KB (QD=32) : 2.527 MB/s [ 617.0 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=32) : 0.030 MB/s [ 7.4 IOPS]

Gavotte/lyh728 512 MB Ramdisk

Sequential Read : 1266.396 MB/s
Sequential Write : 1278.327 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 1134.634 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 994.731 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (QD=1) : 32.392 MB/s [ 7908.1 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=1) : 31.977 MB/s [ 7806.8 IOPS]
Random Read 4KB (QD=32) : 31.737 MB/s [ 7748.3 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=32) : 31.328 MB/s [ 7648.3 IOPS]

Mushkin Enhanced Mulholland 16 GB USB flash drive

device history: only a few write/erase/rewrite cycles

device origin: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820226079&Tpk=MKNUFDMH16GB

Sequential Read : 34.089 MB/s
Sequential Write : 8.379 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 34.228 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 5.093 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (QD=1) : 5.814 MB/s [ 1419.4 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=1) : 0.818 MB/s [ 199.6 IOPS]
Random Read 4KB (QD=32) : 6.364 MB/s [ 1553.8 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=32) : 0.819 MB/s [ 200.0 IOPS]

Sandisk Cruzer Micro 16GB USB flash drive

device history: many rewrite cycles, but reformatted prior to test due to errors.

device origin: Staples, retail, within last 18 months (?)

Sequential Read : 28.638 MB/s
Sequential Write : 7.120 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 28.751 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 3.099 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (QD=1) : 5.866 MB/s [ 1432.1 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=1) : 0.012 MB/s [ 2.8 IOPS]
Random Read 4KB (QD=32) : 6.520 MB/s [ 1591.7 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=32) : 0.014 MB/s [ 3.5 IOPS]

Lexar e-ink capacity display 8GB USB flash drive

device history: unknown # of write/erase/rewrite cycles

device origin: unknown

Sequential Read : 18.623 MB/s
Sequential Write : 7.097 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 18.604 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 1.392 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (QD=1) : 6.537 MB/s [ 1596.0 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=1) : 0.014 MB/s [ 3.5 IOPS]
Random Read 4KB (QD=32) : 6.918 MB/s [ 1688.9 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=32) : 0.014 MB/s [ 3.5 IOPS]

Sansa Clip+ 8GB internal storage via USB interface

device history: many write/erase/rewrite cycles

device origin: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ..._SDMX18R_008GK_A57_Sansa_Clip_MP3_Player.html

Sequential Read : 7.129 MB/s
Sequential Write : 5.358 MB/s
Random Read 512KB : 7.126 MB/s
Random Write 512KB : 2.006 MB/s
Random Read 4KB (QD=1) : 2.631 MB/s [ 642.4 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=1) : 0.022 MB/s [ 5.4 IOPS]
Random Read 4KB (QD=32) : 2.644 MB/s [ 645.6 IOPS]
Random Write 4KB (QD=32) : 0.029 MB/s [ 7.2 IOPS]